Emodin for Use in Gastrointestinal Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Methods are described for use in treatment of gastrointestinal cancers such as colorectal cancers, gastric cancer, intestinal cancers, and adenocarcinomas. Methods utilize emodin in prevention or inhibition of tumorigenesis. Methods can encompass utilization of emodin as a therapy for gastrointestinal cancer as the sole treatment or in conjunction with other drugs or therapies useful in treating the pathology. Emodin is also useful in decreasing side effects of chemotherapy. Emodin may be utilized in a therapy protocol for gastrointestinal cancer therapy in combination with other chemotherapies such as 5 fluorouracil for mitigating side effects including inflammation and improving quality of life for chemotherapy patients.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for inhibiting growth of a gastrointestinal tumor, the method comprising delivering emodin to an area comprising gastrointestinal cancer cells of the tumor. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emodin is delivered systemically or locally to the area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gastrointestinal cancer cells comprise colorectal cancer cells, gastric cancer cells, intestinal cancer cells, or adenocarcinoma cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is an in vivo method, and the emodin is delivered to a subject diagnosed with a gastrointestinal cancer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the subject is diagnosed with a colorectal cancer, an intestinal cancer, or an adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the emodin is delivered to the subject at a dosage rate of from about 0.5 milligrams emodin per kilogram body weight of the subject per day to about 100 milligrams emodin per kilogram body weight of the subject per day. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the emodin is delivered orally or intravenously to the subject. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the emodin is delivered to the area in multiple doses. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is an in vitro method. 
     
     
         10 . A method for treating a gastrointestinal cancer comprising:
 delivering a composition to a subject diagnosed with a gastrointestinal cancer, the composition comprising emodin; and   delivering an agent to the subject, the agent having efficacy for the gastrointestinal cancer therapy.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , the agent comprising 5 fluorouracil, bevacizumab, irinotecan, capecitabine, cetuximab, ramucirumab, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, trifluridine and tipiracil hydrochloride, nivolumab, panitumumab, regorafenib, Ziv-Aflibercept, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , the composition comprising the agent and the emodin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the composition is delivered separately from the delivery of the agent to the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the composition is delivered orally or intravenously to the subject. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subject is diagnosed with a colorectal cancer, an intestinal cancer, or an adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         16 . A method for downregulating expression level of one or more proteins involved in inflammation, the method comprising:
 delivering a composition to a subject diagnosed with a gastrointestinal cancer, the composition comprising emodin; and   delivering an agent to the subject, the agent having efficacy for cancer chemotherapy, the agent upregulating expression of one or more proteins involved in inflammation; wherein   upon the delivery of the emodin, the expression of the one or more proteins is downregulated.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the one or more proteins comprising MCP-1, TNF-α, or NOS2. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the agent comprising 5 fluorouracil, bevacizumab, irinotecan, capecitabine, cetuximab, ramucirumab, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, trifluridine and tipiracil hydrochloride, nivolumab, panitumumab, regorafenib, Ziv-Aflibercept, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the composition comprising the agent and the emodin. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the composition is delivered separately from the delivery of the agent to the subject. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the subject is diagnosed with a colorectal cancer, an intestinal cancer, or an adenocarcinoma.